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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rule — a law
  5. lie — to recline
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. tear — to rip
  8. tear — from crying
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. chest — a box
  11. craft — a skill
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. plane — a tool
  20. chest — of your body
  21. rule — government
  22. chest — of your body
  23. craft — boats
  24. suit — clothes

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com